The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for computer enhanced control and display of model railroad layouts and, more particularly, to the computer control of turnouts in model railroads.
Model railroads have been popular for many years. Even as actual passenger trains are fading in popularity and commercial viability, many model railroads have been created that are small-scale replicas of real-life passenger and freight trains.
Model railroad track and other accessories can be setup in numerous different patterns to create unique layouts for the hobbyist's enjoyment. A very simple example of a layout is provided as FIG. 1. Therein, it can be seen that the layout includes a number of sections of model railroad track. Some of the track sections, e.g., sections 10 and 12, are straight, some of the track sections, e.g., 14 and 16, are curved and still others, e.g., 18 and 19, are sections which are referred to herein as “turnouts”. Turnouts are track elements that provide different, selectable paths through the layout. These turnouts come in two basic patterns, though additional variations exist, i e., left hand 19 and right hand 18 turnouts. In the context of track layouts, turnouts are points of interest that allow for servicing business and main line diversions. Thus most working layouts will have an abundance of these turnouts.
There are at least two popular motorized approaches for the remote control of turnouts. For example, the motors in the turnout may be either of the solenoid or rotational type. The solenoid motor configuration uses two solenoids to change the path. One solenoid activates the through path and the other solenoid activates the turnout path. Switching the solenoids requires a low voltage AC signal applied for a short duration This short duration is significant because most solenoid motors overheat and quickly self-destruct. The rotational motor is allowed to rotate until a mechanical limit is reached. This motor uses a polarized DC voltage to effect a path change, however, only one motor is required as compared with a turnout which uses a solenoid configuration. Moreover, when using the rotational motor, the applied voltage duration is not critical, and in fact it must remain applied to keep the motor at the desired limit.
Although they create an interesting and dynamic layout, an abundance of turnouts can also create challenges, however, as the hobbyist needs to create a reliable way to move trains through the maze of track and turnouts. Additionally, it is desirable to be able to rapidly and easily control the position of each turnout, i.e., to its through path or its turnout path. There have been many techniques used over the years to address this problem. One solution, for example, has been to provide a plywood panel with a series of push button switches placed on the board in some logical way so that the hobbyist, with practice, can associate each push button switch with a track turnout on the layout. Pushing the correct switch then adjusts the setting of the associated turnout.
To enhance the association between the push button switch on the plywood and the actual turnout that it controls, another prior art technique involves the creation of a presentation of the layout on the plywood panel, usually with lines formed from paint or colored tape. The push button switches can then be placed on the plywood at the point on the paint or taped layout which corresponds to the turnout positions on the physical layout. This scheme provides a visual queue depicting which push switch is correlated with each turnout in the layout. It does not, however, provide a visual queue of the current path through the other turnouts in the layout. Additionally, it does not provide an easy way to adapt to changes in the layout since such changes require adjustments both in that painted layout and the physical placement of the pushbutton switches.
Another consideration for the hobbyist is the dead spot in the turnout call a “frog”. The frog is a short section of the turnout that is electrically isolated from the rest of the track to prevent short circuiting the track. Hobbyists like or need to power this section of track, the frog, because some engines jerk or monetarily slow down as they cross the unpowered frog.